Legends Gather
by MortiferSB
Summary: An empty cup awaits to be filled, and an empty world awaits to be saved. As Legends Gather in a scattered world, the forces of darkness rise in anticipated. The Holy Grail War has begun. AU.
1. Prologue

It all began with a wish.

Humanity had known nothing but war and devastation, against the creatures of Grimm. Even with the existence of Dust allowing them to fight back, there was too many of the monsters. No matter how quickly humanity trained their warriors, their numbers were never enough.

And yet, humanity did not crumble. Be it luck, a higher power, or just sheer stubbornness, they fought against the tides of darkness. And no matter how bleak things looked, humanity grew strong.

With the power of Aura, the light of their souls, the human race became Hunters. A single Hunter could decimate armies and turn the tide of any battle.

And yet, humanity lost. Even with their Hunters, the less skilled were massacred when the Hunters were too far away. Worse, the Grimm fed off their emotions. The more they hated the darkness, raged against the dying of the light, despaired at the loss of their comrades, the more the Grimm fed. A single defeat, no matter how minor, could trigger a chain reaction that led to the fall of kingdoms.

But there were those who saw this, and knew the answer.

Armies didn't defeat Grimm. Heroes did.

And so they gathered, the greatest Hunters and masters of Aura. Many years were spent working on a project that could save humanity.

And in the end, they succeeded. Four Heroes were summoned from another world, each able to outpace even the strongest Heroes. And for decades, they defended the world.

The first was a bloodthirsty berserker who raged against his nature. When he fought, the very territory he defended would fight alongside him, unleashing countless weapons.

The second was a humble watcher. No Grimm could stand against him, and nothing could happen to the people around him without his knowledge.

The third was a proud demon. Though she was weaker than the others, the Grimm's own mystery was turned against them when they faced her.

The fourth was a pure, innocent soul. The Grimm, which feed off of negative emotions, were starved in his presence, and in battle, he would shield all that fought beside him.

For decades they fought with the Hunters who had summoned them, each defending a great Kingdom against the Grimm. For decades, this continued.

The berserker was the first to fall. His Master fell in battle, and unable to restrain his bloodlust without him, the warrior fought the Grimm for forty days and forty nights. Even thousands of years later, the Grimm instinctively fear the territory where he fought.

The next to die was the demon. Seeking the source of the Grimm, she and her Master left to the dark continent they came from. Though the numbers lessened, they were never seen again. Some believe she is still alive to this day, still fighting the Grimm, but none have made it far enough into the continent to confirm.

The third to fall was the watcher. When his Master died of old age, he was unable to gather the Prana he needed. Even with the entire kingdom sending him their strength, it was not enough. Weakened by this, he fell in battle a year later.

Finally, the pure knight passed away, a smile on his face. He did not fall in battle, but simply by allowing himself to fade, when he saw the legacy he and his companions had left.

For in the decades they had fought, humanity had grown. Gone was the weak race that had struggled to hold off the endless tide of darkness. The Hunters were strong, and their numbers large. Humanity could protect their land with ease, and even began to take back land from the Grimm.

And most importantly, hidden away and known only by his Master, the knight had left behind his greatest tool. Unable to fuel it in life, it was left upon a Ley Line, to gather more and more power over the course of a thousand years. Inefficient, but powerful.

And now, finally, it had finished. The Noble Phantasm of the knight had gathered the Prana it needed, and began to fulfil its purpose.

It may not have been the real thing, but even a replica 'Holy Grail' was capable of granting a miracle.

And so, seven more Heroes had been summoned. Seven more were given the reins on a Legend, and granted knowledge of what it meant. Seven more were offered the power to grant their wish, if only they would slay the other six.

And to ensure that none attempted to cheat the Grail, or undo the work that the four Heroes of old had done, an eighth was summoned. A Ruler, to keep them in line.

In a perfect world, this Ruler would have manifested in a body identical to the original, displacing the original personality until its business was done. This... Was not a perfect world.

A body with only a small difference, and a name that was too close to the original, served as a 'Catalyst,' disrupting the creation of the Demi-Servant.

And that is why, on the last day of holidays before school begun again, Jaune Arc woke up to find that he shared his body with Jeanne d'Arc.


	2. Chapter 1

Pyrrha Nikos shuffled in her seat, as she waited for Professor Ozpin to finish his cup of coffee.

The Headmaster had spun his chair to look out the window behind his desk, overlooking Vale. He always did that. Ozpin thought that it made him look like a mysterious protector, watching over the city.

In reality, it made him look easily distracted.

It took a moment, before Ozpin spun back around. He put his empty coffee cup on his desk, and leant forward.

"You wanted to see him, Pyrrha?" He asked. "I'd presume this is about the Command Seals that you awoke with."

The girl blinked. "How did you know what they were?"

After a moment, she looked down at them. "Wait... How did I know what they were? I've never heard the phrase before, but-"

"I think I can answer that one, Pyrrha." The Headmaster replied. "But first, do me a favor. If there is anything else you suddenly know without ever having learnt about it, please tell me."

Pyrrha frowned for a moment, and Ozpin took another sip of coffee. Wait, wasn't his cup empty a moment ago?

Ignoring the Headmaster's apparent ability to create coffee out of nothing, Pyrrha began to recite the knowledge she didn't have before. "There's a... Holy Grail, I think? A wish granting device that chooses people to summon great Heroes. The Command Seals mark them..."

She trailed off, before shaking her head. "I'm sorry, Professor. It's all very confusing."

"I can imagine." The Headmaster replied. "Allow me to explain what I can, then."

He twirled his chair around again, and stood up in front of the window.

"Long ago." He began, as he started to pace in front of the window. "Back when there was more than four Kingdoms, when the Grimm first started to attack, humanity was unprepared. As the Grimm attacked, a bunch of the first users of Aura came together, and created a ritual."

"The Summoning of Heroic Spirits." Pyrrha noted.

"Exactly. Powerful beings from another world, to hold the Grimm at bay. As you know, they bought time for the four Kingdoms to grow powerful, and fell over time. The last, however, left behind his Noble Phantasm."

Pyrrha nodded. She knew what that was too, somehow. The crystallization of a legend, such as a weapon they wielded in life, or representation of a great deed preformed.

"This Noble Phantasm was his shield. By itself, it was not much. However, it represented the Heroic Spirits legend. He was the one man in life to complete the Quest for the Holy Grail, and as such, his shield manifested as a replica."

Ozpin took another sip of coffee before he continued. "The purpose of the Holy Grail, other than the wish, was to streamline the ritual. To summon the original four Heroic Spirits, an immense amount of Dust was consumed. That amount of Dust is almost impossible to gain any more, without spending years in Grimm territory. The gift of knowledge was another part- You may be confused by it, Pyrrha, but the Holy Grail has told you more about the situation than the original Aura users knew."

Pyrrha nodded again, looking at her Command Seals.

"Headmaster..." She began. "The Heroic Spirits... They need to fight, for the wish."

Ozpin nodded. "Yes, that is an issue. To get the wish, only one can live."

Sitting back down, he continued. "Amongst those of us who are aware of the Heroic Spirits, this has been discussed for a while. Eventually, we came to the conclusion that the Grail wouldn't allow us to stop the fighting. Instead, we seek to control all of the Servants, have them fight outside the Four Kingdoms, and use the wish to fight back against the Grimm."

Ozpin paused to take a cup of coffee. "Well, I thank you for telling me this, Pyrrha. I need to pass this information on, before Servants are summoned by the wrong people. The Grail should have told you the details of the ritual, right?"

Pyrrha nodded, and Ozpin continued. "Good. Tell Miss Goodwitch that the Holy Grail War has begun, and ask her to give you a private room. She will understand."

"Thank you, Professor." Pyrrha replied.

"You may go, Miss Nikos."

* * *

The knowledge guided Pyrrha as she drew a circle with Dust. It was high-quality Dust too, better then what is usually allowed to a student at Beacon.

Completing the ritual circle, Pyrrha channeled her Aura through it. The Dust circle began to glow.

After a minute, as the circle began to glow brighter and brighter, the light expanded outward, blinding Pyrrha for a moment.

Then, as her vision returned, she saw _him_ standing there.

The man wore silver armour, with a red scarf tied around his chest. The scarf trailed off behind him in the wind.

He looked at her, his green hair sticking back, and gave a smug smirk.

"So, you're my Master, eh?" He asked. "Well, aren't you lucky? You should be glad, girl, for you have summoned the greatest Hero of the Trojan War!"

Pyrrha looked at him for a moment. "...I don't know who you are. Sorry."

The man frowned for a moment, before his smirk returned. "Very well, then. Allow me to tell you my tale. I may prefer to be called Rider now, but that is merely my Class. I-"

There was a knock on the door. Pyrrha gave Rider an apologetic look. "Sorry. I should get that. Maybe we can talk later?"

Rider frowned again. "...Alright. Buy only because you're cute."

Pyrrha blushed, and Rider vanished from sight.

The door opened, and Jaune walked in. "Pyrrha? I need some help."

Pyrrha looked at him. "What do you need, Jaune?"

The blonde boy moved his mouth for a moment, trying to decide how to phrase his request, before he changed. His posture became more confident, and his expression was less confused, and more annoyed.

"What has happened." He said, in a far more feminine voice. "Is that somebody ruined a ritual to summon to call forth a hero from another world, and now I have to share his body, and neither of us are happy with this."

Pyrrha blinked. "...What?"


	3. Chapter 2

A ticking clock was the only noise that filled the room, as Ozpin processed the story he had been told.

Pyrrha couldn't blame him for taking his time. After all, who would possibly believe what was going on? Jaune being possessed by the spirit of a noble hero from another world sounded like something out of a bad novel. The only reason that Pyrrha herself believed it was because the knowledge the Grail had given her included confirmation that Ruler's story was true.

Eventually, however, Ozpin did speak. Putting down an empty cup of coffee, the Headmaster looked at them.

"I'll admit." Ozpin said. "This is a new one for me."

"I can imagine so." Replied Jaune. Wait, no, that was Ruler. They sounded the same, but Ruler's tone of voice was more confident, more authoritative. Someone who considered Ozpin as an equal, not a superior.

"I hope you can understand what position you've put me in, Ruler." Ozpin continued. "Pyrrha is one thing. I'm not happy that she's been forced into the Grail War, but she's the most skilled student that Beacon has had in years. And, more importantly, she won't be personally engaging Servants."

Ozpin gestured at the seat behind Pyrrha, where Rider was sitting. The hero smirked, and gave a small wave.

"You, on the other hand, are currently possessing a student." Ozpin continued. "If you were to fall..."

"I understand your concern." Ruler replied. "And I assure you, I'm not any more pleased with this development than you are. But there's nothing that can be done. If circumstances arise that I am required to step in, then there's much more than the boy's life at stake."

Ozpin picked up his coffee cup again, and took another sip. "I understand that, Ruler. But Jaune Arc is one of my students. I cannot simply allow him to be endangered because he was unlucky enough to be the host the Grail chose for you."

Pyrrha took the opportunity to interrupt. "Excuse me?" She asked. When both Ozpin and Ruler turned to her, Pyrrha continued. "Ruler, the circumstances you'd step in for are ones that Hunters and Huntresses usually step in for anyway, aren't they?"

Ruler nodded. "Correct. If a Servant was to go on a killing spree to empower itself, or try to mind control a crowd to fight its battles for it, those are circumstances in which I'd step in. Of course, I'd also be needed if a Servant was to try to try and destroy the Grail, or tamper with it to gain an advantage."

"I see." Pyrrha replied. "Well, excluding cases involving the Grail, couldn't Rider assist you in your task?"

A moment passed, before Pyrrha realized that she had forgotten to ask somebody else about their opinion on this. Turning back, the Huntress turned to her Servant. "I mean, unless you have any objections, Rider."

"Are you kidding me?" The Servant asked. "I'm always up for a chance to get close to a woman I don't know."

The green-haired warrior winked at Ruler, who wrinkled their nose in disgust. When they replied, it was in Jaune's matter of speech.

"Can you not?" He asked. "Not to be rude, but somebody flirting with a girl who is in my body is a bit disturbing."

"Really?" Rider asked, before shrugging. "Huh. Back at home, this sort of stuff barely counts as odd."

Ozpin put his coffee cup down on the desk, hard enough to draw all eyes on him once more.

"While this is all very enlightening." The Headmaster stated. "I do believe that this conversation can wait for a little longer."

Jaune hung his head. "Sorry." He said quickly, before allowing Ruler to take back control of her body. The woman shot a quick glare at Rider, who smirked in response, before turning her attention back to Pyrrha.

"In regards to your suggestion." Ruler began. "I... See merit in it. As skilled as I am, there are many Heroes out there who would be stronger than me, and I only possess so many Command Seals. Having another Hero by my side- Especially him- Should ensure that both Jaune and I are at less risk if we enter combat."

Ozpin smiled. "I am glad that is resolved." He said. "Jaune being endangered by this is still something I am not pleased with, but with the ability of a Servant and with another seeking to protect you, I don't doubt your ability to keep him safe."

Ruler smiled in response. "I promise, Headmaster Ozpin, that I shall keep your student safe."

A moment passed, as Ozpin took another sip of coffee, before he continued speaking.

"With that out of the way." Ozpin continued. "We have another issue to deal with. Originally, I was going to ask that Pyrrha keep the Grail War a secret from her teammates. But that was before the leader of team JNPR was pulled into this, and with such an important role in the War."

Ozpin looked at Rider, then Pyrrha, and then finally Ruler. "Jaune, as the leader of your team, this decision is yours to make." He began. "But with circumstances how they are, I believe that you should consider telling your remaining teammates of the Holy Grail War."

A moment passed, as Jaune and Pyrrha looked at each other, before Ozpin spoke once more. "I won't make you decide now." He said. "In fact, I encourage you and Pyrrha to discuss this before you make a decision. But I ask that, once you make a decision, you inform me of it immediately."

As Ozpin finished, Jaune looked away from Pyrrha, to look at the Headmaster. "I'll make sure to do that, sir." He replied.

"That is all I ask." The white-haired man finished, before turning away. "If you'll excuse me, I have business to attend to. With the Grail War starting, I expect to be spending most of my time preparing to minimize collateral damage."

Jaune, Pyrrha nodded, before standing to leave. Rider remained in his seat, but his body dissolved into green particles. Ozpin sensed the Servant's presence vanish, before he took out his scroll.

* * *

Far away, hidden beyond the walls to the Kingdom, the White Fang gathered.

Their base was hidden underground, patrolled by dozens of guards to keep the Grimm at bay. Meanwhile, within the base proper, three Faunus stood around the table, while another half dozen stood at the entrance to the room.

"How did the operation go?" Asked the first member, a tall woman who was drumming her fingers against the table.

"Not as well as expected." Said the second, a small man with dog ears. "While we were able to infiltrate the prison to free the prisoners, the only Faunus who came back with us were those who were already members."

"So we gained nothing." Replied the third man, who stood with his arms crossed.

"We gained back our brethren." The small man corrected. "Just because we gained no new members doesn't mean we gained nothing."

"If the old ones got caught in the first place, they have nothing to offer us." The big man replied, before turning his head to look behind the small man. "Right, boss?"

The other two Faunus at the table turned suddenly in the direction the third was looking at, and came face to face with Adam Taurus.

"Sir!" Called the dog Faunus. "My apologies, I didn't hear you come in."

Adam looked at him for a minute, and slowly walked over to the table. "Tell me, Hari." The bull Faunus stated. "In the last month, how many operations have you lead that have met expectations?"

"N-None, sir!" Replied Hari, shaking somewhat.

"Exactly." Said Adam, stopping right in front of the dog Faunus. "In the last month, you haven't met expectations once."

Hari's trembling continued for a second, before the dog Faunus took a breath. "Our men are doing their best out there, sir."

"And it's not enough." Adam interrupted. "Cinder Fall is coming here today, Hari, and if she isn't satisfied with our results, she could withdraw her support for the cause. Do you understand?"

"Y-yes, sir." Hari whimpered.

There was silence for a minute, before Adam spoke again. "There's a Schnee dust shipment coming in today." He said. "You will lead the operation. Personally."

"B-But-"

"But nothing, lieutenant. You should consider this to be mercy. Cinder Fall is a woman of a short temper, and her backing is far more valuable to the White Fang than you have been recently."

The dog Faunus gulped, before nodding. "I understand, sir."

With the issue resolved, Adam turned away from the table, and began to walk to the door out. He paused, however, when loud banging began to echo through the base.

Every Faunus in the room froze, as the banging got louder and louder. No, not just banging. Footsteps.

"What is that?" Asked the tall woman at the table. "Are we under attack?"

At the front door, a guard responded. "There hasn't been any reports from the border guards, ma-"

And he got no further, before the wall behind him exploded. Debris from it and the door shot forward, as the charging behemoth knocked aside all six guardsman in an instant.

In the same instant, Adam had drawn his sword, and stood with his guard up. Just in time, too, for the giant of a man had already acted again.

"OPRESSOR!" The muscle-bound Berserker screamed, even as he charged at Adam with blinding speed.


	4. Chapter 3

When being taught to combat Grimm, there are several lessons that must be remembered at all times. One of the most important lessons is that appearances can be deceiving. A smaller Grimm could strike with more strength than it has ay right possessing. Similarly, just because a Grimm appears to be large and cumbersome, does not mean it can't move with enough speed to punish even the smallest mistake.

In his long life, Adam had learnt that this doesn't apply solely to Grimm. He'd taken many beatings from underestimating the speed of his opponents, and he wasn't keen on repeating the experience again any time soon.

Because of this, the Berserker's speed as it charged through the room didn't surprise Adam one bit. That didn't make it any easier to dodge, however. Even with the forewarning the battle cry gave, Adam was still only just able to dodge out of the way.

Still, the lack of distance meant that the Berserker was open to a counter attack. His blade, Wilt, screamed through the sky as it arced into the man's flesh, tearing through his Aura like it wasn't even there to feast at the blood beneath.

...No, that wasn't right. Adam was experienced enough to know when an opponent's Aura had broken. He was experienced enough to tell that he hadn't struck through any Aura to strike at his foe.

No, what had just occurred was more along the lines of what happened when Adam fought Grimm. He had struck at a foe that lacks Aura altogether.

And yet, despite that, Adam didn't think for a second that his foe was weak. Mostly because his foe didn't give him a second to think in the first place. Even as the red blade sated it's bloodlust, the Berserker had halted it's momentum and spun around, a foot striking Adam's face and throwing him back into the wall.

For a moment, the combat lulled. Adam looked at the Berserker, who chose not to push the advantage he had created, in lieu of monologuing.

"Did you feel that, Oppressor?" The nearly-naked human asked. "The pain I inflict on you... This is only the _beginning!_ Every day, thousands of souls cry for freedom, and their every cry is a knife to my heart! And for the pain they feel..."

The Berserker grinned, arms thrust to either side.

"I'll make you pay a thousandfold!"

"...You're insane." Adam replied, looking over to the side for a moment. The guards that the madman had knocked aside were back on their feet, ready to fight.

He spoke as much for their benefit as the Berserker's.

"Someone like you... Couldn't possibly have gotten in here undetected." He said slowly, so that his underlings understood. "Not alone. Who helped you in here!"

Thankfully, the guards here had half a brain between them, and understood what Adam was saying. The Berserker couldn't have gotten in alone. He had help. Help that may still be around.

The six of them left the room to look for said help, and the Berserker responded in kind.

"Who helped me?" He asked. "Why, the souls of the oppressed, of course! Their hopes and dreams of freedom are behind my every actions, and with that many people wishing as one, I won't be stopped until freedom comes!"

It was obvious, that this man was insane. He rambled on about the oppressed and freedom, as if he honestly believed it. But in what way where Faunus oppressing humanity? Any fool could see it was the other way around!

But there was no reasoning with madmen. The Berserker's delusion would ensure that nothing that Adam said got through to him, unless it played into said delusions.

But, that made things easier, didn't it?

There was another lesson Adam had been taught, through years of battle. It was useless against Grimm or robots, but invaluable against Hunters. A thinking for was a dangerous foe. An enraged foe wasn't one that thought much about anything other than attacking.

And a deluded fool such as this human, who served his thoughts to the world on a silver platter? Enraging him would be _trivial_.

It was just a matter of playing along with the delusions.

"I've heard that before." Adam replied, with a smirk. "Many times, in fact. You're early, though. We only usually get a fool like you along after every hundred or so slaves are worked to death, and it's only be twenty since the last."

The Berserker shook with rage, and he wasted no more time on words. Not when violence was an option present to him.

"OPPRESSOR!" He roared, lunging at Adam. The bull Faunus stepped to the side, lining up his rifle, Blush, and unleashing a half dozen shots straight to his opponent's head.

The first three struck true, before the Berserker learned, and raised his arms to protect from the remaining projectiles. Even though he lacked Aura, as evident by how the bullets blew bloody chunks out of him, it was nowhere near enough as it would do to a normal person. Blush was a powerful rifle, and even one shot from it should have devastated the head of his foe, and a shot to the arm would have rendered it useless.

But somehow, the Berserker was alive. Not nearly unhurt, no. His arms looked as if chunks of flesh had been ripped out by a Beowulf's fangs, and Adam could see the man's skull. But he shouldn't be badly hurt. He should be _dead_.

...Something to ponder after the fight was won. Adam could tell already that this wouldn't be an easy fight, and if he wanted to win, he'd need to keep up his tactics from earlier. Enrage the man further.

Adam continued circling around his foe, keeping his distance from the man's fists. Eventually, Adam smirked, and spoke again.

"Is that all you have?" He asked. "So much for the hopes and dreams of the oppressed."

"SILENCE, OPPRESSOR!" The Berserker screamed. "I HAVEN'T EVEN _BEGUN_!"

And with that, the grey-skinned beast slammed it's foot down, shattering the floor beneath it and throwing shards of metal into the air. The shockwave alone forced Adam back a step, and by the time he recovered, the Berserker's fist was in his face again.

This blow was much more powerful than the last one. Adam wasn't thrown into the wall, he was thrown _through_ it. Those walls were made of strong materials, and even the wall beyond it was devastated as Adam collided into it. It took the bull Faunus a moment to return to his feet.

The Berserker was some distance away, and charging once again. As he ran, his feet smashed the ground under it, throwing up more shards of metal everywhere.

Fighting Hunter's often meant figuring out their Semblances, and often, Semblances could be subtle. Even the smallest change in power of strategy could be a hint that needed to be read.

The Berserker's charge was cracking the ground. Earlier, it wasn't. Something had changed.

The force that he had been punched with, just then... It was stronger than the punch from before. Berserker's every action was causing more and more damage.

He had gotten stronger.

Some factor in this fight... Rage, adrenaline, time, damage taken, _something_.. Something was making the Berserker stronger, and Adam didn't know what.

Still, the solution was obvious. The fight had to end. _Now_.

And so Adam sheathed Wilt into Blush. It was a gamble, but against a foe who got stronger as the fight progressed, he couldn't afford to play it safe. If he could fire Wilt from Blush with enough force, on the right angle, he could cut the madman's head from his shoulders.

As he stood in preparation for the Berserker to charge into his attack, Adam could hear footsteps from around the corner.

Good. Reinforcements. Even if this failed, he would be gaining another advantage soon enough.

The wall shattered as the Berserker ran through it, and Adam's hand rested on Wilt, as he prepared to pull the trigger that would end the humans life.

Three...

Two...

"Stop!" Called a girl's voice. " _Stop!"_

A red light flashed, and for a moment, bound around the Berserker. Then it shattered, and Adam pulled the trigger.

 _"Stop!"_ The voice cried again, filled with desperation. The red light flashed out once, and this time, the madman was immobilized. Wilt sailed right in front of it, close enough to cut his nose.

Adam held his sword, and looked at the Berserker for a moment, before looking around.

A teenage girl stood at the corner, panting heavily as she rested on the wall. She wore a White Fang mask, in a design indicative of a new recruit, and Adam could see the wolf ears behind it. A single red mark resembling the White Fang logo was on the back of her hand, but the claw marks of it were greyed out.

"What did you do?" Adam asked bluntly, looking back up to the Berserker as he did so. It wouldn't do if the behemoth broke free of whatever was binding him while Adam was distracted.

Before the wolf girl could respond, however, the Berserker spoke up.

"M-Master? You... The Oppressor-"

The wolf girl's eyes glared at the grey-skinned man, before she exploded. "Oppressor? OPPRESSOR? WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK THIS IS, BERSERKER!"

The stormed forward, up to the Berserker, as if trying to intimidate him. Something that would have been more successful if she was more than half his side.

"You come out of nowhere and say you're here to free the oppressed, but then you go try and kill them instead! You're as bad as all the other humans, claiming to do good while destroying the livelihood that Faunus have!"

Berserker tilted his head, confused. "...What? The oppressor-"

The wolf girl gestured wildly at Adam. "HE ISN'T AN OPPRESSOR YOU BLITHERING MORON! AS I WAS TRYING TO TELL YOU BEFORE YOU RAN OFF DECLARING THAT YOUR FISTS SCREAMED FOR JUSTICE! WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!"

The wolf girl panted for a second after her screaming fit, before Adam decided to speak up."

"You seem to know a few things I don't." He said simply, hiding confusion under stoicism. "Perhaps you should explain?"

The wolf girl froze, before turning to Adam slowly. "Oh... Mister Taurus... I... Kinda forgot you were there."

Adam observed the girl for a moment, considering for a moment telling her to hurry up and explain, before deciding against it. She seemed to be a new recruit, so a more delicate touch was required.

"I understand." He said softly, in a tone of voice he hadn't used since- used in ages. "Take it slowly. Start from the beginning."

The wolf girl took a deep breath, and then spoke. "Well, I woke up this morning, and there were these red symbols on my hand..."


	5. Chapter 4

It was a quiet morning at Beacon Academy, as the boy clad in green enjoyed his lunch. It was a simple, healthy meal. Nothing complicated. Some fruit and a sandwich, that was all.

His teammates were missing, but that was alright. They would be fine. Besides, their absence was what made this lunch so peaceful. It was only a matter of time before-

"REN!"

...Nora showed up.

Ah well, Lie Ren thought. The peace was nice while it lasted.

"Yes, Nora?" He asked, as the orange haired girl bounced towards him.

"Have you seen Jaune or Pyrrha?" She asked, frowning. "Both ran off as soon as they woke up, and nobodies seen them since."

"They're probably busy." Ren replied. A moment passed in silence, but Ren knew better than to get his hopes up.

The moment passed, and Nora shouted again. "Wait! Ren, do you think Jaune realized?"

Ren looked at his childhood friend. "Realized what?"

"You know! Realized how Pyrrha feels about him!"

Ren shrugged. "What makes you ask?"

"They've been gone all morning!" Nora continued. "Maybe they hit it off last night, and they've spent all this time..."

The hammer wielder trailed off, blushing heavily. "A-Anyway! I can't believe it, he finally noticed! I was starting to think I'd need to start playing matchmaker."

Ren supressed a shudder as the memories returned to him, then sighed. "You don't even know that's what happened yet, Nora."

"What other explanation is there?" Nora asked. "I mean, there has to be a limit on how dense Jaune is, and if it was anything important, wouldn't they have told us? We're a team, after all."

Ren took a bite out of his sandwich, knowing that Nora wasn't done rambling yet.

In truth, Nora's antics didn't really bother him. If he was being perfectly honest, he'd admit that spending time with Nora was actually rather fun. That didn't mean she was any less tiring, though.

Which was why, when Jaune and Pyrrha entered the room together, Ren breathed a sigh of relief. With the targets of Nora's attention nearby, he himself should have some breathing room.

"YOU!" Nora called, bounding over to her two teammates and pulling them to where Ren sat.

"Nora!" Jaune complained, trying- And failing- To pull his arm free. Pyrrha, meanwhile, seemed to have learnt from Ren, and was just letting it happen.

"So, anything you want to tell us?" Nora asked. "Any secrets you two have been keeping~"

She positioned Pyrrha and Jaune side by side, and examined them closely. Both of them fidgeted uncomfortably, and after a minute, Pyrrha cracked.

"J-Just the one." Pyrrha admitted. "We were going to tell you after lunch..."

For that one brief moment, Nora radiated sheer smugness, and Ren could already hear her claims of calling it.

"C-Can we go somewhere less crowded?" Jaune asked. "The cafeteria isn't really the place to talk about it."

Ren sighed, and made haste in finishing his sandwich.

"Oh, whatever!" Nora declared. "If you want to keep dancing around about it..."

Ren finished just in time, as the moment he finished swallowing his sandwich, Nora had grabbed Jaune and Pyrrha and was storming out of the cafeteria. Silently, Ren stood from his seat and went to follow them.

* * *

It was in a small dark room, that team JNPR gathered. Nora was beaming at what she thought was about to occur, and Ren was already trying to prepare damage control scenarios, in case she proved to be wrong.

Pyrrha and Jaune stood awkwardly in front of them, thinking of how to begin.

"Well?" Asked Nora impatiently.

"It's kind of hard to explain..." Jaune noted.

"Take your time." Ren noted.

"Forget that!" Nora rebutted "I want you to say it already! Reveal your secrets, Arc!"

Another moment passed, before Pyrrha started.

"Well..." She noted. "I suppose you could say that Professor Ozpin gave us a secret mission, of sorts..."

From the look on Nora's face, you would have thought that Pyrrha had told her that her dog had been thrown into an incinerator.

"Of what kind?" Asked Ren, before Nora could voice this disappointment.

"I'll be blunt." Jaune interrupted, in a tone of voice rather unlike him. "Magical super ghosts from another world are being summoned by people chosen by a magical wish granting artefact. Pyrrha got selected. Meanwhile, the Grail's attempt to summon an adjudicator went wrong, and now I need to share a body with your leader!"

Ren blinked. "What?"

Pyrrha sighed. "Rider, can you?"

"With pleasure!" Came the sudden reply, and a green haired man suddenly appeared behind the red haired girl. He immediately manifested a spear out of nothing, and Ren and Nora took a step back, before the green haired man dismissed it again.

"...Okay, this is new." Ren noted. "Unexpected, too."

"You're just taking our word for it?" Jaune asked, his tone of voice suddenly much more like him.

"Well, you don't have a reason to lie." Ren noted. "And if you did, I feel like there are more believable lies. So, yes, I believe you."

"Hold on, I'm confused." Nora interrupted. "Green-hair is a super Ghost? And... wish granting device? I have so many questions."

"I'll be happy to give you an explanation." The man Pyrrha called Rider replied. "And while I'm at it, why don't I show you what A-Rank Riding is good for."

The man waggled his eyebrows, looking over Nora as he did so. Everyone looked at Rider, and Nora turned as red as a tomato.

"I have no idea what that means." She said. "But I think I need an adult."

"Oh? You're into that?" Rider asked. "Usually, I try to get them alone before pushing for several people at once, but if that gets you off, I'll be glad to participate."

When Jaune hit the man in the back of the head, Ren was torn between being grateful that Jaune was shutting him up, and disappointed that he himself couldn't punch the green-haired guy himself.

"Will you _stop that_." Jaune snapped, once more sounding more authoritative than usual. "I swear, you Greeks are all the same. Put them near a pretty girl, and they automatically decide they want to see her naked."

"I take offense to that, Ruler." Rider replied. "You're implying that I'm much more discriminate than I actually am. Why would I limit myself like that? Limiting myself to woman bars me from fifty percent of people out there, and only sticking with pretty ones only makes it worse."

"I will use a Command Seal." Jau- No, Ruler- Threatened. "Don't think I won't."

Perhaps they needed a new topic to discuss, before things got violent.

"So, can you explain how this is working?" Asked Ren. "Jaune's apparently possessed by a ghost of some sort. Can someone explain that?"

Ruler paused. "...It's a long story. Basically, I was meant to be the 'Ruler,' to make sure other Servants- The super ghosts, I mean- Don't just kill people indiscriminately. Jaune was close enough to me that I got trapped in his body, apparently."

"That's cool." Nora noted. "Very cool. Let's talk all about this, and just forget everything about the green haired pervert!"

Rider opened his mouth to object, but Pyrrha shook her head. In response, the green haired man muttered something under his breath, but faded away into invisibility again.

All eyes were on Jaune for a moment, before he replied. "There's not much to talk about." He said. "Pyrrha and I just thought you should know. We barely know much about it ourselves."

"Can you at least tell us a bit more about Servants?" Ren asked. "I mean... Super ghosts. I don't think I understand."

Jaune closed his eyes, and it was Ruler who replied. "A Servant is a weakened Heroic Spirit." They said. "A being of legend, in our world. They live, they become Heroes, they die, they become legends. Then they get summoned, but because they're so powerful, only parts of the legend come in."

Ren nodded, and Nora asked the next question.

"So... Why Ruler? Are you some sort of conquering madman?"

"It's my Class." Ruler continued. "A Classification. I'm Ruler because I hold power over the other Servants. Other Servants are named what they are by what they do. Rider, for example, is called such because he has some form of mount."

"There are a few others." Pyrrha noted. "And... I don't want you two stumbling across them unprepared, so I'll note them now."

Ren nodded, and after a moment, Nora did the same.

"Originally, there were four classes. Berserker, Servants who exchange sanity for strength. Archer, Servants who use ranged weapons. Lancer, who uses a spear. And Shielder, who is known for defence."

"Beyond that." Ruler continued. "There are a bunch of other classes which will come up, since there are seven Servants in this War, not including myself. Saber, the physically strongest, who uses a sword. Caster, who uses magic. Assassin, who hides in the shadows and kills Masters, such as Pyrrha. Boxer, who possesses immense skill with their bare hands. And Avenger, who thirsts for revenge, but otherwise could be anything."

"Is there anything else you need to know?" Pyrrha asked.

Ren shook his head. "I need to think about this a bit more." He said. "What about you, Nora."

"Seems straightforward to me." She replied. "Super ghosts with cool names fight for a wish. It's a lot to take in, but it's rather simple when you do."

"Sorry to have dragged you away from lunch." Jaune said. "You can get back to that, if you want."

Nora's eyes suddenly widened, and she looked at Ren expectantly. With all the years he had gotten to know her over, Ren knew exactly what Nora wanted.

"Sure." He said. "I'll just leave the two of you alone."

"Yeah." Nora replied. "I'm sure the two of you want to be alone. To talk. Between the two of you. Not me or Ren. Just the two of you. Together. As a couple."

Nora Valkyrie: Master of Subtlety.

Jaune's eyes seemed to widen in understanding for a moment, and for that moment, Ren could hear Nora squee. And then he opened his mouth.

"Oh yeah." He said. "I'm sure you want a chance to talk to Rider, Pyrrha. Since you summoned him, and he'll be your Servant from now. I'll give you some space."

And with that, Jaune Arc turned and left the room. Nora watched him, aghast, before leaving the room as well. Ren followed her, worried for a moment, but then relieved when she proceeded to go in a different direction than Jaune.

After a while, Nora finally spoke. "Ren, I think I figured out Jaune's Semblance."

Ren blinked at the sudden comment. "...Yes?"

"Gravity Manipulation. It's the only explanation for why he only weighs as much as a person, despite being as dense as a freaking _Neutron Star_."


	6. Chapter 5

Once Nora and Ren had left the room, Pyrrha turned to Rider's invisible form.

"Was it really necessary for you to flirt with Nora?" She asked, as Rider materialized again.

"Yes." The green-haired man answered.

The red-haired Master sighed. "I suppose there's nothing I can say that'll make you stop?"

"Nothing at all!" Replied Rider, smirking as he did so. "Which, incidentally, is what I'd like to see you wearing."

The Huntress took a moment to process her Servants words, before turning bright red. "A-Anyway…" She interrupted. "I- er… Don't suppose you could tell me a bit about yourself? The Grail gave me some information on your past, but not much."

Rider grinned. "You want me to tell you about myself? Oh, I don't think you have the time to listen to my full tale, and I'm not the sort who enjoys telling it in ten minute intervals. But since the Grail gave you a summary, I'll let you ask a few questions for now."

Pyrrha takes a moment to think, before she replies. "I think I'll leave any questions about your life until after you have time to tell your story. But, if you don't mind, couldn't I ask about what you seek from the Holy Grail?"

For a moment, the cocky grin on Rider's face evaporates, leaving… A sorrowful expression? Or a hateful one? It's hard to tell with Rider, and most likely, it's some combination of both.

But just as quickly as it vanished, the smirk appears again, as Rider replies. "What I seek from the Grail? You mean my wish? Why would I need one of those?"

Pyrrha frowned. "The Grail isn't supposed to summon Servants who don't have a wish… Or, at least, it claimed so."Rider looked contemplative for a moment, before he spoke again. "Actually, it's possible that the Grail granted my wish already. By summoning me, it's given me a chance to spread my legend to a whole new land, against foes strong enough to have legends almost as good as mine!"

Nodding to himself, Rider leaned back against a wall, and looked at his Master. "What about you, Pyrrha? Do you have any wish you want granted?"

The red-haired girl thought to herself for a moment, before she spoke again. "My wish? I don't think I have one that important, really. But with the Grail… I could use that wish to make things better for people. If the Grail is truly as powerful as it claims, perhaps I could use it to wipe out the Grimm?"

Rider's face twisted into a scowl. "What a waste."

"…Excuse me?" Asked the confused student. In response, the Servant stood up straight, and stepped away from his wall.

"You want to eliminate these 'Grimm'?" He asked. "I said it's a waste. Humans, at their core, want to be great. These Grimm, they provide and easy way to become great. Go out the Kingdoms and kill everything that moves, and you can earn glory as easily as I can breathe. You eliminate the Grimm, you make things complicated."

Pyrrha looked at her Servant as if he were mad. "That… Are you saying that the Grimm are a _good_ thing?"

"Yes." Rider replied, bluntly. "Humans seek glory like a moth seeks flame, Master. These Grimm? They make things simple. Great threats make great heroes, and from what I know, these Grimm are great indeed."

"You- This is crazy!" Pyrrha exclaimed. "People don't desire glory so much that they'd sacrifice anything for it! Even if the Grimm create heroes, I'm sure these heroes would have preferred it if they didn't have to worry about what happens if they fail!"

"Heroes don't fail." Rider rebutted. "Those that do never become heroes."

"Even worse, then." Pyrrha replies. "If there are a hundred dead men forgotten for every hero remembered, then it only proves that the Grimm need to be erased."

"Why?" Spat Rider. "So a hundred and one men can be forgotten? The Grail gave me your legends, Pyrrha. Barely anything is known about the Silver Dancer or Demon Archer as it is! If there weren't any Grimm, they never would have accomplished anything memorable!"

"What's so wrong with that?" Pyrrha asked.

"What's _not_ wrong with that?' Rider replied. "I never understood that about your kind of people. What's so great about a peaceful life if nobody knows who you are, and nobody can say who you were when you died? Better to burn the candle at both ends and die a glorious death, then to live like that."

"…I'm sorry." Pyrrha replied. "But that's not something I could ever agree with."

Rider was silent for a moment, looking out the window. "You'll see it my way eventually." He concluded. "Even if it has to be on your death bed, when you realize that nothing you did mattered in the e-"

Rider froze mid-sentence, tilting his head to look a different way out the window.

"…What is it?" Pyrrha asked.

"Enemy Servant" Replied Rider. "A fair distance away. Probably in that city of yours. But they're not hiding- No, the opposite. They're signalling. They're looking for a fight."

"…You want to go." Pyrrha said. It wasn't a question, merely a statement of fact.

"Yep." Rider replied. "You stay here, go talk to the old guy about there being another Servant around. I'll go check it out."

"Wait." Pyrrha interrupted. "You can't get to Vale on foot. You need an airship."

Rider chuckled. "Don't worry. I'm sure my horses could use the exercise."

Before Pyrrha could ask what he meant, Rider had vanished, before reappearing on the other side of the window. He set off into a sprint, and quickly vanished from Pyrrha's sight. A moment later, she felt her Aura drain slightly, as her Servant made use of his Noble Phantasm.

…He'd be alright. Rider may have an… _Odd_ opinion on the Grimm, but he wasn't an idiot. If he thought that his steeds could get him to Vale, then chances were, they could.

Still, the thought of an enemy Servant lurking in Vale wasn't one that inspired confidence. She needed to tell Professor Ozpin.

…Except he was busy. He'd said himself, that he'd be too busy making preparations to protect Vale from the Grail War to see her again. But she had to tell somebody.

…Professor Goodwitch. She was Ozpin's right hand, so she would be able to pass word on to Ozpin, so that he knew. And even if the Headmaster was too busy to deal with it, he trusted Miss Goodwitch enough that he'd let her manage the situation.

Leaving the classroom at once, Pyrrha only hoped that Rider would stay safe.

* * *

It didn't take long for Rider's horses to fly him into Vale, and once he was in the city, it was easy enough to find the Servant. The way they were broadcasting, they may as well have given him a direct map to their location.

It was odd, then, that the Servant had decided to remain in their astral form when Rider arrived. It was in an abandoned warehouse, where Rider tracked down the enemy Servant. The warehouse was empty, to the mortal eye, with only a small squad of golem-like creatures being visible.

Rider took a moment to observe the golem-things, reaching for his Grail-granted knowledge to see what the term was for them.

Ah. Robots.

Still, not important. What mattered was, an enemy Servant was nearby. These robots were probably there to reinforce the Servant, or at least keep normal people away from the warehouse. But it wasn't as if they could compare to a Servant.

Phasing through the roof, Rider materialized out of sight of the robots, and spoke two words.

"Dromeus Kometes." Comet Form.

Rider's speed was already top-notch for a Heroic Spirit, reaching the realms that few others could ever hope to reach. But with Dreomeus Kometes, that already amazing speed increased to the point where movement became instantaneous.

As he hit the ground, Rider's boot fell apart, collapsing behind him, allowing for the activation of the Noble Phantasm. In the time it had taken for him to fall, the robots in the room had began to turn to him.

A heartbeat later, and Rider tore them to shreds. In an instant, he could move behind one and cut it in half with his spear, before appearing above another and crushing it beneath his foot. Fifteen of the twenty were demolished in an instant, and as his next heartbeat began, Rider turned to face the remaining five robots, and the Heroic Spirit with them.

At least, that's what he should have seen. Instead, he turned just in time to witness the shirtless Servant destroy the last of the five himself.

Scars covered the Servants torso, and two black swirling tattoos ran down each of it's arms. Standing over the body of five destroyed robots, the Servant looked up at Rider, a mad look in his eyes.

"My Master's not gonna be happy about that." The Servant chuckled. "But I can't help it. You got my blood pumping with that display of yours, so even if she doesn't want me fighting anyone until she finds our allies, I'm going to fight."

"...Heh." Rider replied. "Finally. Someone who speaks my language."

The wild Servant took a step forward, curling his hands into fists, and slowly began walking towards Rider. "Boxer." He said simply.

In response, Rider allowed his spear to fade into it's astral form, preparing fists of his own, and matched Boxer's walk. "Rider." He replied.

The two walked towards each other, staring into the others eyes. Those eyes were filled with fire, fire like what burned in their hearts. At their core, both Servants were warriors, through and through. Even if they hadn't spoken a word to each other, any meeting between the two would end like this. When Rider and Boxer came together, there would be no choice but to talk with their fists.

As one, the two Servants charged at each other.

* * *

There was a knock on the door, before it opened, and Pyrrha stepped in.

"Professor Goodwitch?" She asked. At her desk, Glynda looked up.

"Ah, Pyrrha." She said. "I was just about to look for you. Ozpin passed on a message for you and Rider."

"Miss Goodwitch." Pyrrha replied hastily. Very unlike her, and enough to get Glynda's attention. "There's another Servant in Vale. Rider detected them, doing... Something. Looking for a fight, he said."

Glynda frowned. "Another Servant in Vale? Did he say where?"

Pyrrha shook his head. "Sorry, no. All he said was that it was in Vale."

Professor Goodwitch bit her lip. "I'll pass it on to Ozpin." She said. "But I need you to pass something on to Rider as well."

"Oh?" Pyrrha asked.

"We have an allied Servant." Professor Goodwitch replied. "General Ironwood contacted Ozpin to inform him that one of his agents had summoned a Servant from the Grail. So that Rider doesn't mistake them for an enemy if they both investigate this Servant, tell him that the Boxer-class Servant is an ally."


	7. Chapter 6

The first exchange was over in an instant. Rider's left hand and Boxer's right passed by each other, and the two Servants struck each other in the face. The force behind their blows sent each Servant flying backwards, and for a few seconds, all they could see was each others silhouettes in a cloud of dust.

As he stood in the cloud of dust, Rider reached for his cheek, where Boxer had struck him.

"Interesting..." Rider noted.

"You seem surprised." Boxer noted. "Let me guess. You had some sort of defensive ability?"

Rider nodded. "Andreias Amarantos." He replied. "My Noble Phantasm. You shouldn't be able to hurt me, unless you possess some matter of Divinity. And if you did, I would have been able to tell when you sent your signal to draw me here."

Boxer grinned. "Ah, a Noble Phantasm to protect your body?" He asked. "You may have given yourself away, Rider. There's only a short list of Heroes who have a defence like that. Siegfried. Achilles. Karna. All great Heroes. Whichever one you are... Testing my fists on you would be a pleasure."

Taking another stance, Boxer held one fist before him. "In case your wondering." He began. "Your defence being bypassed? That's _my_ Noble Phantasm."

"Oh?" Asked Rider, curious.

"In my life, my blades would fail me every time." Boxer continued. "My foes would be too tough, or I would be too strong, and they would shatter. But! Each time that happened, I still had these two hands! Weapons may have failed me, but my fists, my Grendel Buster never will!"

Rider smiled. "Then this truly is a fair fight, isn't it?"

A second later, he stood in front of Boxer, the back of his heel slamming down. But by then, Boxer had already begun moving to block, his hands in position to deflect the blow to the side and leave his opponent open to retaliation.

"Let's make the most of it."

* * *

It was a small airship, that Pyrrha stood in. Not that it needed to be big. She and Jaune were the only passengers, after all. Well, technically, there was also the pilot, but the airship was designed in such a way that he was out of sight from the passenger bay.

"So." Jaune began. "You'll be going to see Boxer's Master, then?"

Pyrrha nodded. "Yeah. I'm sure Rider would mention if he needed help."

"I'm probably going to go after him anyway." Jaune replied. "Ruler thinks that it'd be more important to talk to a Servant that was looking for a fight, to make sure they understand to keep innocents out of the fight."

"That makes sense." Pyrrha replied. "Just be careful. I don't want to see you get hurt."

Jaune smiled. "I'll be fine." He said. "Even if I didn't know one end of a sword from the other, Ruler's pretty good. Worse come to worse, she can literally force enemy Servant to stop fighting and go away."

Pyrrha shuffled about a bit. "I know." She said. "I'm probably just worrying too much..."

"Better than not worry at all." Jaune replied.

* * *

To the naked eye, tracking the battle between Boxer and Rider would have been impossible. Even to a Hunter, it would have been hard to follow. The two moved at immense speeds as they clashed, and the environment around them suffered for it.

Rider slid to the ground and kicked up, launching Boxer into the roof, before immediately leaping after him. Hitting the roof himself, Boxer kicked at it, launching a hole through the roof and propelling him downwards. A flurry of blows rained down from the shirtless man, and the green-haired Servant was launched downwards by the force of the blow.

Boxer flipped in the air, seeking to crush Rider's skull beneath his heel, and the Greek Hero barely moved out of the way in time. With the distance between them closed, Rider shot his head forward, smashing into the other Servant's nose. Boxer stumbled back, and Rider immediately leapt at him, dashing behind him and grabbing his arm.

It was easy for Rider to force his opponent to his knees from that position, and from there, forcing his head down while keeping his arm back ensured that Boxer couldn't break free easily. The tanned Servant struggled for a moment, and Rider spoke.

"You're pretty good, you know." He said. "Good enough that you wouldn't just be just any Heroic Spirit. No, you've got a decent legend behind you."

"Are we talking?" Boxer asked. "Or fighting?"

"Right now? You're losing." Rider replied. "Which is a surprise, really, given who you are."

Boxer stopped struggling for a moment. "You know?" He asked.

"Yep!" Achilles replied. "You kinda gave it away with your Noble Phantasm. A defence-piercing attack with your bare fists, with a reference to Grendel? There's literally no way you could have made it more obvious... _Beowulf!_ "

Boxer laughed. "That easy, huh?" He asked. "Well then, I suppose it's my turn?"

Rider grinned. "Go ahead."

"This hold." Boxer began. "I'm not too familiar with the art, but I know enough to recognize this as a form of Pankration. Which means your Greek. Factor in your invulnerable body? Who else could you be, if not mighty Achilles?"

The Greek man laughed. "Oh, this is perfect! Now that we know who each other are, there's no more questions we'd leave unanswered if one of us died?"

"Exactly what I was thinking." Beowulf replied, before smashing his head into the ground. A cloud of dust smash upwards, distracting Achilles for just long enough that his opponent broke free from the hold. A fist flew into Achilles face, forcing him back a step, followed by another fifty.

* * *

It didn't take long for the airship to land in Vale, at which point Ruler took control of Jaune and set off at once, to where Rider was fighting the enemy Servant. Pyrrha, meanwhile, headed to a location that Professor Goodwitch had mentioned, where the Master of Boxer was waiting.

It took a while to get there, but eventually, Pyrrha found it. It was a warehouse on the outskirts of Vale. It seemed abandoned, but according to Professor Goodwitch, it was owned by Ozpin, and intentionally kept empty, in case something needed to be stored on short notice.

Or in situations such as this, where meetings needed to be conducted in private, and getting to Beacon was, for whatever reason, not an option.

As Pyrrha approached the warehouse, two guards by the door turned to her. They didn't appear armed, but that was likely for the purpose of avoiding suspicion. No doubt, they'd be able to call in actual armed guards from inside at a moment's notice.

"Hello." Pyrrha said, as she approached. "I was told somebody would be meeting me here?"

As she spoke, she raised her hand and revealed the Command Seals on them to the two men before her. The men looked at the red mark for a moment, before nodding.

"We've been expecting you." They said. "Go right ahead."

"Thank you." Pyrrha replied, before entering the warehouse.

The inside of the warehouse was filled with a large number of robots, each patrolling the room intently. They turned briefly towards her, and then continued on in their patrols.

In the centre of the roo, flanked by too robots, was the form of a teenage girl. At the sight of Pyrrha, she beamed.

"Salutations!" She declared. "I am Boxer's Master, Penny Polendina. I assume that you are the Master of Rider?"

* * *

It was fortunate, that Rider and his foe were so wrapped up in their battle. Since they were giving each other their full attention, they completely missed Ruler standing above them, observing their battle from the hole they created in the roof.

It was a skill of the Ruler Class to be able to identify the Servants in their War. This True Name Discernment isn't perfect, but at the rank that Ruler had it at, it was enough to give away a Servants True Name and Class.

It was enough to tell that the Servant that Rider was fighting was Boxer, his ally.

"We need to stop them." Jaune said. However, before he could act on that, Ruler took control.

"I can't." She replied. "I'm sorry. I'm not supposed to interfere in this War unless innocent lives, or the Grail, is at risk. This counts as neither."

"I can't just do nothing!" Jaune hissed, as Rider grappled Boxer to the ground and wrapped an arm around his neck.

"You don't have to." Ruler answer. "You have your Scroll, don't you? Tell Pyrrha, and she can contact Rider to make him stop."

Jaune paused, then nodded. "Alright. If that's all you can do..."

And with that, he reached for his scroll.

* * *

"Hello, Penny." Said the Mistralian girl. "I'm Pyrrha Nikos."

"It is nice to meet you, Pyrrha." Penny said. "I hope that we can be good friends!"

Pyrrha smiled, but before she could reply, her scroll rang. The redhead looked at it, and then up at Penny.

"You should get that." The orange haired girl noted. "It could be important!"

Satisfied that Penny wouldn't consider it rude, Pyrrha got out her scroll and observed the message on it.

 _The Servant Rider is fighting is Boxer. Ruler won't let me intervene. You might want to break up the fight. ~Jaune_

...Um. Okay.

"Is something wrong?" Penny asked. "You don't look too happy."

"...It is possible." Pyrrha said. "That nobody told our Servants that we have an alliance, and that they are currently killing each other."

Penny frowned. "Boxer wouldn't..." She began, before trailing off. "...Actually, he would. He did try to fight me when he first was summoned."

If Penny said anything after that, Pyrrha ignored it, focusing instead on contacting her Servant _'Rider? Rider, can you hear me?'_

'Bit distracted here.'

Came the telepathic reply.

 _'Boxer is an ally.'_ Pyrrha immediately stated. There was silence for a moment.

 _'Rider?'_

 _'Yo- Breaki- p- Tr- ater!'_

Rider's plan might have worked, if the Grail hadn't informed Pyrrha that the telepathic communication can't be disrupted.

 _'...Rider.'_ Pyrrha began. _'Stop fighting Boxer, or I will use a Command Seal to make you. I don't want to, but I don't want you killing allies, either.'_

There was silence for a bit longer, before the reply came. _'...Fine.'_ He grumbled. _'I'll stop. You are the worst Master ever.'_


End file.
